Talk about comfort food, and quick to make after a busy day at work! It's always much more yummy the next day! Remember to have some garlic bread with this

1 lb. Ground Hamburger or Ground Chuck

McCormick Italian Mushroom Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning Mix (or other dry spaghetti sauce mix)

3 to 4 cans Tomato Sauce (or 1 can tomato paste - add 4 to 5 cans water to thin paste out)

Shell Macaroni (either large or medium shells)

1 diced Onion

Parmesan/Romano Cheese

Added water to rinse cans out into meat sauce

Salt and Black Pepper to taste.

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Add 1 teaspoon salt to a pot of water, bring this to a boil. Once boiling, add dry shell macaroni and cook no more than 5 minutes, then drain and set aside.

While water for noodles is coming to a boil, brown the ground burger or chuck and diced onions together in a dutch oven. Break up the meat well, stir to keep things from scorching. Drain off excess grease once fully cooked.

Shake spaghetti mix over browned meat mixture, add cans of tomato sauce (or tomato paste). Add 3 to 4 cans of water from the tomato sauce cans. Mix well and begin simmering. Taste to see if it needs more salt.

Once the sauce has begun to thicken, add the drained shell macaroni. Mix them in gently, allow the meat sauce and shell macaroni to simmer together on low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes. Add more water if it looks dry. Stir every so often to prevent sticking.

Take from heat, cover with a lid and allow the shell macaroni to absorb more of the sauce while sides are being prepared.

Add black pepper and romano/parmesan cheese before serving, mix in gently, and serve hot.

Have extra parmesan/romano cheese and shredded mozzarella cheese on the table to add to the plated servings.

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Once in a while Dad would add about 1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers and cook in the sauce. Most nights it was just the meat sauce mixture and shell macaroni, plus parmesan/romano cheese.

The shell macaroni can be cooked softer before being stirred into the meat sauce if you prefer. But Dad wanted the al dente noodles to absorb meat sauce and thicken the dish, he never made it soupy. If you'd rather have more sauce in yours, please do add more tomato sauce or water.

Can be made with elbows, penne, ziti or any kind of pasta you like.

Can be cooked on the stovetop and then baked with cheese melted on top.